


As The Soldier Crumbles | Jacob Seed X Reader

by dxyingslowly



Category: Far Cry (Video Games), Far Cry 5
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Anxiety, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Imprisonment, Love/Hate, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Slow Burn, Soft Jacob Seed, Spoilers, Stockholm Syndrome?, Training, but loves it cause it gives him a challenge, deputy is a brat, jacob hates it, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 13:06:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29808843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dxyingslowly/pseuds/dxyingslowly
Summary: The Deputy arrives at Hope County under the guidance of the Marshal and the Sheriff, but when she's told to put the cuffs on Joseph Seed, she hesitates.
Relationships: Cameron Burke/Female Deputy | Judge, Earl Whitehorse/Original Female Character(s), Eli Palmer/Reader, Faith Seed/Reader, Jacob Seed/Reader, Joey Hudson/Original Female Character(s), John Seed/Reader, Joseph Seed/Reader, Staci Pratt/Reader, Tammy Barnes/Female Deputy | Judge, Various Far Cry Characters/Original Character(s), Various Far Cry Characters/Reader, Wheaty (Far Cry)/Reader
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

I sigh heavily and lay my head on the side of the helicopter window.

"Something bothering you, Dep?"

Earl Whitehorse looks at me with deep, prominent lines formed on his forehead. His arms are folded in an accusing way and his eyes are narrowed slightly, scrutinising me. 

I shake my head and look back out the window. "Don't worry about me, Whitehorse, I'm fine. If I were you, I'd worry about the nutcase that's sending us here."

"Hey! I have a federal warrant for this guy," the Marshal, Cameron Burke, shouts. "That's not something you can ignore, got it?" 

Slowly, I tear my gaze away from the mountain view that surrounds us and glare at him. "I know that, but if you had a brain, you would be bringing in the National Guard, not a deputy."

Whitehorse chuckled and the sound made haptic feedback echo in the headsets on our heads. 

I wince and so does the Marshal. 

"Still," the Marshal argued back. "You guys were the only people available in this damned County to help me- I mean, assist me in this arrest."

A smirk began to tug at the corner of my lips at the slight slip he made in his speech. The Marshal needing help? He would never admit that, much like he wouldn't admit that he wasn't equipped to deal with what sounded to be a cult-like organisation. However, I manage to suppress the gratification within me. It would probably piss the Marshal off more anyways.

"Crossing over the Henbane now," the pilot's voice said through the silence. 

Staci Pratt was the one taking us to our destination, and I'd hoped on more than one occasion that he would fall sick before the trip so we wouldn't have to go. I don't know why I was dreading this arrest so much. As much as I disliked the Marshal, he was right. When in possession of a federal warrant, that isn't something you can write off the books.

So, really, we were all about to face the inevitable.

"Jesus fucking Christ," I mutter under my breath as we pass in front of a giant stone statue. "Who is that? How fucking tall is that thing?"

"That's the face of Joseph Seed, the leader of this whole fucking mess," Burke responds. "Eden's Gate. That's what they like to call their little doomsday cult out here."

"And that statue's gotta be at least 1000 feet tall," the Sheriff whistles.

The helicopter speeds forward and I find myself craning my neck to get a longer look at the statue. After a few seconds, I lean back in my seat and take out my phone.

"Hey, Rookie!" Whitehorse calls. "You're not gonna get any signal out here, so you may as well forget it."

I frown, but put it back in my pocket. "Why won't I get any signal?"

Joey Hudson sighs and her voice carries through the headset. "The damn cultists put in signal jammers on certain devices only a few days ago to cut Hope County off from the world. You're just out of luck."

I scoff lowly. 

"Tell me about it."

\---

Finally, Pratt lands the helicopter.

"Now, before we go in, I want to make a few things clear," Whitehorse starts, clearing his throat. "We do this my way, as in, let me do the talking." 

He looks at each of us with a wary look in his eye and I decide to butt in. 

"Calm down, old man. We'll follow your lead and won't pull our guns out until you give the say so," I laugh.

The Sheriff stares me down with a harsh look, but I stare right back, confident that I've won this battle. 

As I unbuckle my seatbelt, the exclamation of the crowd of people outside hits me like a brick.

"They're here for the Father!" A voice yells.

"We won't let you take him!" Another shouts.

I open the helicopter door and the cool night air glides across my face, slightly tousling my hair out of place. I remember what the Sheriff said and as he begins to lead the way towards the white church in the distance, I follow.

Filtering out the clamour of the hostile mob forming around us, I can hear a choir softly singing the chorus of 'Amazing Grace'. If it weren't for the dirty looks and cocking of guns, I might actually be at some kind of peace here.

We quickly walk to the church and I feel a light flip in my stomach upon seeing that these cultists are heavily armed. Shotguns, LMGs, you name it. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that they had it, along with a stock full of ammo to supply themselves with.

"Now, Marshal, if we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it quietly, alright?" Whitehorse exclaims to Burke.

"Relax, Sheriff. You're about to get your name in the paper," He reassures Whitehorse as he puts his hand on the clearly nervous Sheriff's shoulder. 

Hudson gives me a reassuring nod and I glance down at the floor. 

The choir's song ends as the Marshal and Sheriff push the churches doors open, and I hear a slight voice telling me in the back of my head to turn around, to go back. I shake my head slightly and push forward to keep up with my superiors.

"Something is coming. You can feel it, can't you?" A calm voice proclaims. "That we are creeping towards the edge.. and there will be a reckoning." 

Although it's night outside, a warm, yellow light fills in the back of the church, casting light gold shadows all around. It's in the shape of a cross-like symbol, but I know it's not one of God.

I shiver.

I'm too far away to truly see who is speaking, but I make a pretty good guess. As Burke and Whitehorse separate, my eyes begin to focus on the figure on the stage.

An outline of a shirtless man I can only presume to be Joseph Seed is holding his arms out to the small crowd gathered within the pews of the Church. Said people turn their heads to look at us in accusation and many of their faces are in the various stages of grief.

"This is why we started the Project," He continues. "Because we know what happens next. They will come and try to take from us. Take our guns, take our freedom, take our faith.."

If I wasn't of sound mind, I wouldn't be particularly unsusceptible from falling under this guy's charismatic spell. I am quick to realise why he has so many followers now. But as I get closer to his podium, I start to come to the conclusion that Joseph Seed has not acted alone.

I look slightly to the right first and spot a young, but almost ethereal woman standing off to the side of the church's stage. She adorns a white dress, made of lace with what looks to be patterned with swirly floral shapes. Her brown hair only falls to her shoulders and I raise my eyes when I see she's not wearing shoes. She gives me a slight frown when I look at her face and I see a flash of anger in her green eyes.  
Moving on, I look to the left of her and see a well-dressed, well-groomed man with brown slicked back hair and a soft blue-eyed gaze. He wears a long, brown leather jacket that doesn't quite reach his knees and a black suit vest with a dark blue shirt underneath. He looks similar to Joseph, now standing in front of me, but prettier and younger.  
As I look the younger man over, he gives me a quick wink and I suddenly feel a wave of nausea ripple throughout my stomach. Although meant to be a harmless and flirty act, it made me grimace in disgust.

Then, I see him.

I see him encased by a waterfall of soft, golden light and for a moment, I catch myself starting to breathe a little quicker and my heart starting to beat a little faster.

Standing prideful and tall, just behind the man I presume to be the younger brother of Joseph, is a towering stature of a man. He has his arms crossed and resting on his chest, with a relaxed expression on his face. He would look peaceful if it weren't for the constant tapping of his fingers against his arm. 

Dog tags swing from his neck, as well as what looks like a rabbit's foot and a dog whistle. Didn't clock him for the "lucky charm" type.

He wears an army jacket with the sleeves rolled up just above his elbow, but I'm more interested in his name. 

I squint slightly to see what it says on his name patch and as if he knows what I'm trying to see, he smirks slightly and moves his right shoulder slightly to the light so I can read what it says. His dog tags catch a glint of the light above him that temporarily blocks my vision, but as my eyes begin to focus, I can make out his name.

J. Seed.

As I move my eyes from his name to his face, a sharp twang pierces my heart; he has much lighter eyes than the younger man next to him, but his gaze is more piercing than the whole family. His bright red hair makes everyone else in the room look bland, but I keep my shoulders and head high, determined not to let him rule me out as a nobody. 

He's not the only threat around here.

I watch his eyes scan me just as I did him mere moments ago and I widen my stance as I come to a stop just behind the Sheriff and Marshal, still leering at him.

I feel like I'm being hunted suddenly and the walls of the church begin to close in, parallel with my chest.

"We will not let them!" Joseph exclaims loudly, making me jump a little.

I hear a low chuckle and shoot a glare towards the red-head. He stares me down with just as much merit and I swallow thickly when I realise I may not win this contest as easily as I had with the Sheriff back in the helicopter. 

Returning my stare back to Joseph, I begin to see a harsh line form in between his eyebrows.

Burke starts to question the Sheriff's silence, but his protests are swiftly shut down with a raise of the Sheriff's hand. 

"We will not let their greed or their immorality or their depravity hurt us anymore! There will be no more suffering-"

"Joseph Seed!" The Marshal's voice booms around the church. "I have a warrant issued for your arrest on the suspicion of kidnapping with the intent to harm." 

Burke holds the warrant high, getting it in Joseph's face and in the corner of my eye, I see the soldier shift on his feet, edging closer towards Joseph. There are candles by Joseph's feet that dance and flicker in the soft wind coming through the entrance of the church, but Joseph pays them no attention. Instead, he is focused solely on Burke and the whole church falls silent in anticipation.

The Marshal still held up the piece of paper in Joseph's face and started to bark orders at him. "Now, I want you to step forward and keep your hands where I can see 'em."

The people of the pews begin to stand up now and I see the Sheriff slowly move his hand to his hip, resting his fingers lightly on the gun holster attached to his belt. I take a deep breath and go to do the same thing.

Joseph raises his hands and sighs quietly. "There they are. The Locusts in our garden. You see they've come for me."

He looks at me for a few seconds, then takes his eyes to the Sheriff. 

Joseph has no doubt noticed where Whitehorse has placed his hand, but the preacher seems.. calm. I realise why when his people begin getting their guns out and pointing them at us. The looks on their faces are furious, like a toddler who's just had their favourite toy taken away from them. I suppress a smirk for the second time today and finally latch my hand onto my gun, drawing it.

One of Joseph's cultists notices and switches his aim from Burke to me.

I smile at the man confidently, despite the gnawing anxiety at my stomach. I can feel the acid bubbling up in the back of my throat and I wish for nothing more than to be in the back of the helicopter with this motherfucker in handcuffs.

"They've come to take me away from you. They've come to destroy all that we built!" Joseph's voice raises into a shout and I roll my eyes in annoyance. Can we just get this over with?

The crowd gathering in front of Joseph began to grow louder and more vicious, whilst still holding their guns in our faces. The Sheriff shouts at the Marshal, but I can't directly make out what he's saying; I'm trying to figure out what Joseph is going to say next to make his followers go nuts and kill us all.

Joseph steps down from the church's stage and places a hand on both of the follower's shoulders standing next to him. 

"We knew this moment would come," He solemnly says to his devoted followers. "We have prepared for this. Go. Go."

His followers slowly trickle out of the church, giving myself, the Marshal and the Sheriff all dirty looks. I follow them with my eyes as they all walk out of the church, but I see movement again in my peripheral vision. 

Joseph's siblings, if that was what they were, have arranged themselves behind the apparent leader of the pack. The girl has her hands clutching the sides of her dress, her knuckles almost turning white. The younger man has his arms behind his back and the red-head is still in the same position as before, only his head has risen slightly since the last time I set my eyes on him. He gives me a cocky-smile, flashing his brilliantly white teeth.

A shiver runs down my spine as I'm reminded of a wolf going in for the kill.

I return my attention back to Joseph and stifle a laugh at his pose. He has his arms raised in front of his face and he looks up at the ceiling in wonder.

"I saw when the Lamb opened the First seal, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts say, come and see.."

"Step. Forward." The Marshal commands him with a fed-up tone.

"And I saw," Joseph bellows, lowering his arms. He points a finger at Burke, but his hand falls back down to his side indefinitely soon enough. "And, behold, it was a white horse.."

His gaze wanders to Whitehorse, before settling to me. 

"And Hell followed with him," He finishes.

Joseph Seed's eyes bore into mine as he holds his wrists out.

"Rookie, cuff this son of a bitch," Burke orders me. I hesitate.

"God will not let you take me," Joseph warns me.

How patronising his "family" stand behind him, taunting me with the power they have over Hope County. 

I don't feel inferior, but I certainly don't belong here. 

Here, in this church, in this moment, under the constant glare of Joseph and his siblings. 

The light behind them almost makes them look similar to angels or harbingers of light. I know deep within me that my perception of these people is far from textbook definition of what angels appear to be and what their very presence feels like, so I make my own truth.

Not angels, not harbingers of light, but Heralds.

Heralds of the new Eden.

"Rook, put the cuffs on him."

The Marshal's voice cuts into my swimming head of thoughts and before I hesitate again, I pull myself forward and place the cuffs on Joseph Seed.

I turn him around with my hand on his shoulder, directing him towards the doors of the church and hear a low voice behind me.

"Sometimes, the best thing to do.. is to walk away."

\---

I run through the forming crowd of cultists as they realise that we do intend to take Joseph away from him and his fucked-up little "family". My hand is firm on Joseph's shoulder, with the Sheriff and the Marshal on either side of me and Hudson behind me as we all make our way to the helicopter.

I breathe a small of relief as the helicopter comes into sight and I see Pratt swivelling his head from one area of the compound to another, watching, waiting for someone to launch an attack. 

Even something as simple as throwing a rock could start something with how riled up Joseph's flock are right now.

Eventually, we all clamber into the helicopter, but just as Sheriff Whitehorse is about to get in, someone throws a rock.

And carnage is unleashed.

As soon as the first punch is thrown, the cultists lurch forward and cling on to whatever part of the helicopter they can find, be it the landing skids or the side of the doorframe.

One cultist clambers inside the now mid-flight aircraft and I send them all the way back down to the ground with the butt of my hand. They land with a satisfying thud.

Joseph starts to sing that fucking song under his breath: Amazing Grace. I instantly want to karate chop this motherfucker in the throat, just kill him now, but Burke does the best he can and shakes Joseph, trying to get him to stop singing. 

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" Burke screams at Joseph.

The Marshal can't avert his attention for too long though, as more fucking cultists keep climbing up the helicopter.

Why up?

My heart drops.

They're going for the rotor blade.

I feel as if someone has a tight grip on my throat as soon as I make the connection because just as I do, I see a man hurling himself towards the blade after he makes the last climb up the windshield.

I hear a sickening squelch and blood is all around me; on the windshield, on Whitehorse, on Burke, on me, my clothes, my face..

I hear screams of terror and "MAYDAY! MAYDAY!" as we hurtle towards a thicket of trees, quickly plunging to our deaths.

But, the only thing I can truly **listen to** fills me with a sick sense of dread, even if I may die in a matter of seconds.

"I was blind, but now I see..."


	2. Chapter 2

"Earl? Earl, are you there? Anyone? Please?"

It's Nancy's voice that eventually wakes me up. I'm still alive, but how long do I have left?

Flames lick all around the helicopter and I've come to the realisation that it's upside down. All of us, Burke, Hudson, Joseph-

Joseph. Where was he?

Don't tell me that he actually was "saved by God". I laugh dryly and begin to cough. 

I need to get away from the wreck; the fumes I'm breathing in aren't doing me any good. My throat is scratchy and feels like it's on fire. 

laugh again.

"Deputy Hudson, if you're there, please pick up."

Nancy's strangled voice once again makes itself to the forefront of my attention, and I see the headset it's coming from dangling in front of my face. I'm still buckled in to my seat, but after struggling with that for a few minutes with eyes that are polluted by the thick plumes of smoke, I know I'm not going to get anywhere. Instead, I decided to lean forward as much as I can. 

Even with swinging my body forward and outstretching my hand to the headset, I'm only just out of reach of it.

I curse under my breath. I curse at the Marshal for making us come out here, I curse Eden's Gate for ever being created and I curse myself for taking this job in the first place.

My hand brushes the mouthpiece of the headset, but I somehow manage to push it further away. A newfound sense of motivation surges through me, even if I am pushing it further and further out of my reach.

I inhale a short breath and lurch myself forward again. My fingers brush the headset once more and I manage to latch on to it. I pull it towards me, but a hand seizes my wrist. The blood circulation in my hand feels more restricted than ever and it feels like it's about to explode as the iron grip around my wrist only gets tighter.

Joseph lowers himself in front of me.

"That saved a wretch like me.."

Feeling my eyes widen, he studies me with a calculated expression on his face. I turn my head to look at him properly and rake my eyes over his body. 

He doesn't seem like he has any life-threatning injuries, unfortunately, and he looks just as covered in dirt as my crewmates are around me. The fire roars in the background and a panicking feeling makes itself known in my stomach. I have to get out of here, quickly.

He's still staring at me and I stare right back. I let fury fill my eyes and he smirks slightly.

Nancy is still yelling in the background of Joseph and I's little stare-down.

"Are you there? Is somebody there? Please."

Joseph leans in close to me.

"I told you that God wouldn't let you take me."

I feel my hand gradually slip off the headset and a knowing smile spread across his face.

It swings back behind him and he takes in a deep breath.

Softly shaking his head, Joseph takes the headset, holding the mic close to his lips.

"Dispatch?" He murmurs. 

I hear Nancy gasp.

"Oh, my God."

"Everything is just fine here. No need to call anyone."

Holy fuck. 

"Yes, Father. Praise be to y-you," Nancy stutters.

Joseph watches my reaction for a few seconds, clearly amused at my face contorted in horror. I shake my head rapidly as I try to make sense of what the fuck just happened. 

Nancy, she.. 

The Father?

Eden's Gate..

"You fucking prick," I whisper.

A million thoughts run through my head and Joseph, once again, leans in close to me. I wrinkle my nose in disgust at the sudden onset smell of blood and dirt. 

"No one is coming to save you."

I watch Joseph as he clambers out of the helicopter and notice various scars on his back.

Gluttony..

Lust..

Greed..

They look raw, fresh, but some are crossed out.

A huge tattoo of the cross I saw in the church before is the main centerpiece of his body, his **canvas**.

I pray to all Gods that I won't end up being harmed the same way.

The belt buckle feels like a chain around my waist; I twist and turn in my seat to no avail, getting no closer to my freedom. Turning my head, I see Joseph standing in front of a small crowd of his followers. He lifts his arms up to the sky once more and I watch, trepidation making the hairs on my skin stand up on end.

"Everything is unfolding according to God's plan," He starts. "I am still here with you. The First Seal has been broken."

Hudson twitches her head and a wave of relief washes over my being at someone else witnessing the pure madness.

The preacher climbs atop a truck and raises his hands to the sky.

"The Collapse has begun. And we will take what we need. And we will preserve what we have. And we will **kill** all those who stand in our way."

Burke coughs and splutters in an attempt to get the dust sediment out of his lungs. More witnesses to Joseph Seed's "gospel". Good.

"And these," Joseph exclaims, pointing a finger at the helicopter. "The harbingers of doom will see the truth."

"We gotta get out of here, we gotta get out of here," Burke repeats. He latches his hands onto his buckle, trying to unlock it the same way I did. He has more luck then me and quickly releases himself from his seat.

"Hey! Help me!" I hiss, but the Marshal shakes his head at me.

I look back to where Joseph stands and see all of his followers faces; awe is a common expression on all of them.

Joseph makes direct eye contact with me.

"BEGIN THE REAPING!"

Hudson gathers conscience again and wrestles with the seatbelt. A cultist frees her from her bonds and begins to drag her out of the crashed aircraft by her wrists. In a futile effort to bring her back, I latch on to her ankle, but the cultist brings her back towards him and forces me to let go.

I mourn for Hudson to be returned, stretching my hand out back to her. Another of Joseph's followers attempts to grab my hand, but a wall of flames appearing in front of him makes him jump back.

"Let them burn. This is God's will. This is their punishment."

I can barely make out Joseph beyond the flames.

Eventually, I manage to release myself and crash onto the roof of the helicopter. I groan and brush the glass off the side of my cheek, scrambling to my feet.

The Marshal runs off into the woods facing the opposite direction of Joseph and his flock and I follow, chasing after Burke as quickly as I can. I hear shouts and cries behind me.

"She's getting away!"

"We can't let her go!" 

But the only one that brings a shiver to my spine: "We must bring her to the Father!"

\---

The woods are dense and there are plenty of hiding spots to stay in, but I know I can't stop. Stars are beaming above me, but I know sunrise isn't far away. I'll need to get to a house or cabin if I have any hope of surviving. I'm tired, cold. hungry, aching.. 

The list goes on. 

With a feverish, purely survivalistic look in my eye, I keep my head on a swivel for anywhere I can stay, for anywhere I can hide for a few hours to catch my breath.

And just like that, a bunker half-hidden in forage comes into my view. It's off the trail in the woods by a least a few miles, so I should be safe. Before I take another step, the world goes black.

\---

My vision is blurry and the lights above me are too bright. A throbbing pain comes from the back of my head.

I'm zip-tied to a bed post. 

As I look to my right, I see a bottle of water and a packet of what looks like beef jerkey on the bed, but I can't move because.. zip-ties.

I try to lean down and cut the ties with my teeth.

"Stop it, kid."

My neck almost snaps and my eyes have to focus to the bright light behind the person, but I make it out to be a man. He crouches down on to his knees so he's eye-level with me and they crack.

So, he's old.

He groans and puts a hand on the bed post to steady himself and slightly tilts his head up to look at me. 

I dart my stare all around his face, looking for traces of madness like Joseph had in his, but I only see honesty and crease lines. 

"Who are you? Where am I?" I ask in a low, hoarse voice.

"Not anywhere near Joseph or his cult, if that makes you feel any better," the man says with a small smlie. "Name's Dutch. I'm part of the Resistance."

Resistance? 

Shaking my head, I repeat my question. "Where am I?"

Dutch sighs and stands up. He pulls a chair closer to the bed I'm tied to and sits down.

After a brief pause, he speaks.

"You're in my bunker. Safe."

Safe wasn't something I felt now, that's for damn sure. "Well, I don't feel it." 

I look down to my tied hands and rattle them against the post. Dutch takes out a switchblade and I flinch. He notices and proceeds towards me cautiously, sliding the knife under the plastic zip-tie. I sigh after I'm released and rub my fingers around the sore red marks around my wrists.

"Kid, you really fucked-"

A crackle comes from his radio and Dutch stops talking. He leans back in his chair slightly, fine-tuning the radio using the knob and groans again. He sighs quietly as he relaxes back in his chair and rests his hands on his knees.

"My children.. We must give thanks to God."

Joseph fucking Seed's voice comes through the speakers on the radio.

"The day I have prophesied to you has arrived."

I scoff and shake my head.

"Everything I've told you has come true.. The authorities who tried to take me from you are now in the loving embrace of my Family.. save for one."

Dutch leans his head back, giving me a sideways glance.

"But, this Wayward Soul will be found. They will be punished and in the end, they will see our glorious purpose."

I raise my eyebrows.

"I am your Father. You are my Children. And together, we will march to-"

Dutch turns the radio off in annoyance and scowls at me. 

"You know what that means?" He rants. "It means the roads have all been closed. It means the phones lines have been cut. It means there's no signals getting in or out of this valley." 

I sigh and hold my hands up in defeat. "Look, I-"

"But mostly, it means we're all fucked," He interrupts. "The goddamn "Collapse".. they all think the world's coming to an end, now. They've been waiting for it, for years. Waiting for someone to come along and fufill their prophecy and kick off their goddamn Holy War."

The man chuckles darkly and without humour.

"Well, you sure as shit kicked. The smartest thing for me to do would be just to hand you over. Fuck."

He runs a hand over his head and closes his eyes. 

"What do you want me to do?"

Dutch gives me a look, one of prudence and suspicion. 

"Well, for starters, you can join the Resistance. We'll need to burn your uniform. There's a pile of clean clothes in the cabinet to your right," He prompted. "Get changed and when you're done, come and see me. We'll see if we can un-fuck this situation."

He gets up from his chair and leaves the room he's held me in for God only knows how long.

I guess I'll change, then.

\---

After roaming around his bunker, I find Dutch leaning over a desk, in front of numerous TVs stacked on top of each other. 

"Cameras?" I ask him. 

He nods and turns to face me.

"Set up all around my island, keeping watch," He informs me, crossing his arms. "Grab a gun from the safe and the map."

The safe is large, holding more than just a gun and a map. Yellow envelopes are placed at the back of it and money is placed by them in neat stacks.

The gun is a Colt .45, an American-manufactured, semi-automatic, recoil-operated handgun. Decent, but not the best out there.

The map is one of all of Hope County, with five red circles on it. One is around Dutch's island, the one above it is of what Dutch explains as Joseph's “compound”. Dutch gives me the general rundown of the situation in Hope County and I gulp several times. I can handle myself, but a population of hundreds of people?

About half an hour later, I emerge from Dutch's bunker, seeing daylight for the first time in a while. I hold my arm up to shield myself from the blaring sun and my eyes quickly settle on my surroundings. If it weren't encased in war, I could actually consider living here.

Dutch gave me a radio before I left and he contacts me on it.

"Now, if we're gonna build a Resistance, you need to know where to start. Bring out your map, kid."

I jog to a big enough rock and lay my map out on it.

"Now, on the left of your map, you have Holland Valley. Currently, it's under seige by John Seed, the youngest brother of the whole fucking family."

I feel a small sense of pride fill my chest as I find out I was right. 

So, the guy who had the guts to wink at me is John. A sadistic bastard, I read in Dutch's bunker. According to the data he'd collected, John Seed has a fucked up way of indoctrinating people into Eden's Gate. John Seed is "the Baptist", in charge of almost drowning people in drug-infused rivers to make them "see" or "walk the Path". After, he takes them to his own bunker in Holland Valley and makes them "atone". The scars I had seen on Joseph's back were the results of John's "confession". John makes you confess all your sins to him, be it pride, wrath, greed.. or even all Seven Sins, if he deemed it so.

"On the right side of your map is the Henbane River. You probably flew over it when you came here," Dutch continued.

I nod in rememberance and take the radio off my belt. "With that giant fucking statue of Joseph?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Controlled by Faith Seed, the little sister. Drug fields everywhere there and they need to go."

Faith Seed - "The Siren". Dutch's notes once again came in clutch and described Faith as being a "liar" and a "manipulator". Apparently, she grows a hallucinogenic drug called the "Bliss". Makes your sight go green and have sparkles appear everywhere. Butterflies and fake animals have been reported being hallucinated when on "the Bliss". I shiver and hope I never come into contact with Faith or her drugs. Dutch's notes also cover the subject of the addicts of the "Bliss"; the locals of Hope County have taken to calling them "Angels". From their description, they sound like anything but. They're drugged up to the eyeballs and obey people in whichever way someone commands them to. But if they so much as look at you, they come charging at you, considering you a threat to Eden's Gate unless you're wearing the cult's uniform. 

"Fucking psychos," I laugh hesitantly.

I haven't known Dutch long, but I trust him. After all, I owe it to him. He's given me a place to live, food, water.. 

"And then there's the Whitetail Mountains, dominated by the oldest brother. Jacob Seed."

A quick flash of the red-head came across my eyes and for a second, I felt the fear I did when he gave me his wolf-like grin back in Joseph’s church.

Dutch continues, "Jacob trains the officers, the security of Eden's Gate. I don't like to admit it, but he's good at what he does. Jacob's been causing trouble for the Whitetail Militia lately, so Eli Palmer is gonna need your help. Think of Eli as the leader of the Resistance against Jacob and his men."

From what I'd read in Dutch's data, Jacob Seed is a ruthless killer. He believes "culling the herd" and "sacrificing the weak" is the way to protect Eden's Gate, to "welcome the new world order". He tortures people by using a song: 'Only You'. A shame, really, because before now, The Platters were a band I used to listen to on the regular. Jacob trains his "soldiers" to kill on **command** as soon as they hear 'Only You'. Eyewitnesses to this “transformation” recall the "soldiers" going on a killing rampage and destroying anyone they set eyes on with whatever tools they have at the time. No tools? They use their hands to break as many bones as they can, making sure your life ends right there and then, when they see you. Jacob must've been through something similar himself to know so much about the subject. If being an expert on brainwashing wasn't enough, the eldest Seed brother also had military experience and was an excellent marksman wayback when, rumours whisper. I didn't want to test how good his aim was now.

"Thanks, Dutch. I think I've got it. Thank you for the stuff," I say into my radio.

"Yeah, no worries, kid. Over and out."

My radio bleeps and he's gone. 

Packing up my stuff, I inhale the clean air surrounding me deeply and let my mind clear.

Joseph Seed - a prophesier. John Seed - a sadist. Faith Seed, a prevaricator. And finally, Jacob Seed - a veteran.

Another flash of Jacob smirking at me makes my heart palpitate.

I have no idea what's truly coming for me, do I?


	3. Chapter 3

After playing a short game of 'Eeny Miny Moe', I entered John's region, Holland Valley, first.

Dutch had a truck waiting for me at the entrance of his island, parked off the side of the dirt road. It was a beat-up, old Chevy truck, but I saw the keys in the ignition and knew I was in deep debt with the man who'd taken me in.

Dutch had _saved_ me, even if it was only for a few sweet days.

I think about the past week or so now, as I'm driving. My right hand rests on the steering wheel, my left hand is on my forehead and my eyes are barely focusing on the road ahead of me. 

If I'm following the map correctly and make a right turn in about a mile, I'll turn into Fall's End. Dutch warned me as the small town being "Peggie-infested", which, as it turns out, "Peggie" is the nickname given to a follower of Eden's Gate. 

See a cultist out on the road? Nope, it's a Peggie. 

I laughed at the absurdity of the name when I was told about it, but it makes sense. Eden's Gate's full name was "Project at Eden's Gate". P.E.G, Peggies. 

Oh, shit, the turning.

I turn the wheel as quickly as I can and make it. Well, Dutch was right.

I slam on the brakes and come to a squealing stop. 

Fall's End is literally _crawling_ with these fuckers. I sigh and reverse my truck into a spot where it's a lot more hidden. I grab my gun off the passenger seat next to me and get out. 

\---

After killing all the Peggies I could see within a mile of Fall's End, I finally put my gun back in its holster.

"Hey, I could use your help over here!"

I turn my head and see a woman waving her hand in the air at me by a building that looks like a bar. As I come closer, I see the bar is called the "Spread Eagle" and hear it's clearly home to many. Rowdy laughter and groups of people talking inside can be heard as I get closer and I feel a small smile creep onto my face. 

These people don't have to live in as much fear as they did before. 

"Hey, what do you need?" I call out to the woman. She turns her back to me and leans down, picking up a wooden crate of beer off the floor.

"Move these into the-"

She slowly gives me the crate and I frown at her slightly. "What?"

"You're that Deputy!" She yells, laughing. "The one they couldn't find! Holy shit!"

I shrug my shoulders and nod towards the door of the Spread Eagle. "In there?"

"Hold on, hold on," She stops me. "I'm Mary May Fairgrave, owner of this place. You really saved our asses, Dep, and we'll do what we can to repay you."

I place the crate back down on the floor and put my hand out to her. Mary shakes it and gives me a bright grin. 

"I'll explain my plans inside, but beer first?"

She nods and let go of my hand, picking up a crate of her own.

When we walk through the doors of the bar, the smell of alcohol and spice fills my lungs and I cough a little bit. 

Mary laughs and puts the crate down on the bar. "Signature smell of a bar, Deputy. Get used to it."

"Deputy?" A voice behind me says. 

I turn around and am greeted with another friendly face.

"I'm Jerome Jeffries, Pastor at this here town," He announces. "Thank you, Dep, for helping us." I give a quick smile to him and shake his hand.

" 'Love thy neighbour', right?" I quote.

Jerome laughs heartily. "That's right, you're religious?" 

The pastor leans forward and grabs two beers from a crate, handing one to me.

"Not particularly, I only know a few verses and such," I confess, slamming the cap of the beer down on the edge of the counter. It pops off with a nice clink. "I have friends back home who are, but school mostly taught me what I remember now."

The first swig I take of my beer is the best thing that's happened so far to me in Hope County and the ice-cold liquid rushes down my throat, making goosebumps appear on my arms. 

"Put some music on!" Mary shouts. Someone complies and music rings out of the 1970s-style jukebox at the back corner of the room. She hangs an arm around my shoulder. "Let's celebrate."

\---

It was a fun evening, but I'm tired after fighting for my life all day.

I'm standing under the canopy of the entrance of the Spread Eagle and look around me, at the street.

There's a shop right in front of me and a garage to my left. Beyond that, there's the church. 

I place my almost empty beer bottle down on a wooden post next to me and stumble down the road towards the church. 

\---

As I push the door open, a gush of warm air envelopes my cold body. The door closes with a small thunk and I walk to the front of the church and sit down in a front-row pew.

This church is much more pleasant than Joseph's. 

Intricately designed windows grace each wall and a generous amount of natural sunlight pours through each one. 

There's a welcomed silence in here and I shut my eyes.

I'm breathless and left starstruck for a few minutes. It's the calmest I've felt in weeks and all my worries wash away.

Until I hear a familiar voice come through on my radio.

"Kid, get to the nearest TV, now."

Dutch's voice is the only thing I can think about for a few seconds and I wonder if he's heard about my victory in liberating Fall's End. 

I spot a TV placed on a metal stand not too far from where I'm sitting and I rush over, turning it on immediately.

"What the fuck?"

John Seed's back is the only thing I see for a few seconds and then he turns around with this malicious grin on his face. His arms are open wide and he's wearing the same outfit I saw him wearing back in Joseph's church. 

"We are all sinners. Every one of us."

I snort. John's name shows up at the bottom of the screen, like no one knew who this crazy motherfucker was.

"You. Me," John pauses and chuckles. "Even the Father knows _deeply_ of sin."

I grimace at Joseph's title.

"It's a poison that clouds our minds."

The camera filming him pans out into a wide shot and I see the red carpet John walks upon. 

It has white words painted upon it - Greed, Gluttony, Sloth.. along with small, white flowers placed around them. 

My eyes widen as I recognise those flowers as Bliss; Dutch had a few pictures of them that he decided to show me, said that 'when the time came to it, I want you to know to burn these fucking fields down to the ground'. 

Whatever that meant.

But, the Seven Sins once again make an appearance - a common theme with this family. 

Do they worship the Sins or something?

John walks forward to a small crowd, put his hands on the shoulders of two cultists and the camera follows him. 

"What if I told you, you could be free from sin? What if I told you that everything you ever dreamed could come true?"

"I'd say you were full of shit," I snicker.

"What if I told you that everything could be overcome if you embraced an idea."

John pushes his followers away to the side and I gasp.

The camera angle moves to look at John from the side, but I see Hudson standing off to the side, held firmly by a cultist. 

She has duct tape around her mouth, her hands tied with rope in front of her and mascara is streaming down her face. 

The angle switches back to John's face and he continues.

"That freedom from sin can come from the power of just _one word_."

And on cue, John raises his arms, the camera is moved upwards to a lit sign and a crowd shouts the word "YES". There is cheering and applause, but John calms the crowd down by putting his hands out in front of him. 

I marvel at how much power this guy has over people, but feel sick when Deputy Hudson is pushed on screen.

"Yes, I am a sinner," John proclaims, like a _fucking weirdo_. 

I wouldn't think that was something people would pass around lightly. 

"Yes, I wish to be unburdened. Yes, I must be.."

John grabs hold of Deputy Hudson's shoulders and sighs lightly. He traces his fingers around the base of her throat and I flinch.

" _Redeemed_."

I take a deep breath in as John finally lets her go and steps away from her.

"If you're watching this, know that you have been selected. You will be cleansed," John enunciates as he faces the camera. "You _will_ confess your sins, and you will be offered _atonement_."

John holds his hand up to the camera. 

"But, don't worry. You-" He points at the camera- "don't have to do anything."

He lowers his head slightly and a dark shadow hangs over his eyes. 

"We'll come for you."

John moves his head back up and smiles softly. 

"Welcome, to Eden's Gate."

\---

The TV blares static as the video cuts out and I switch it off, silencing falling over the church once more.

I know what I have to do.

Even though I'm tired and even though I'm _slightly_ drunk, I get in my truck and turn the keys in the ignition. The truck roars underneath me and I press down on the gas, racing down the highway into the night.

I have to save Hudson from John Seed, by whatever means necessary.


End file.
